Euronews

The Czech Republic’s main ruling party is meeting today to search for a replacement for Prime Minister Petr Necas following his decision to quit over a spying scandal.

Necas resigned after prosecutors charged his closest aide Jana Nagyova with illegally ordering agents to survey people including Necas’s wife.

She is also accused of bribing members of parliament to drop a rebellion against Necas last year.

Necas’s decision to step down has been widely welcomed by some residents in Prague.

“I think the resignation was a necessary step, he (PM Petr Necas) did the right thing as a politician in this situation,” said Pavel Jirsa.

But Irena Piknova believes he should have stepped down earlier: “I think this is too late, he should have done this sooner. He should know what is happening around him and trust the information he has at his disposal.”

The Czech Republic now enters the formal process of replacing the entire centre-right cabinet which fell automatically with the prime minister.

Necas’s Civic Democratic party is aiming to form a new government with their current two-coalition partners to finish its term which expires next May.

But they need the consent of President Milos Zeman, a leftist opponent of Necas, who has not made any comment on who should succeed him.